Traffic Fatalities Fall to Lowest Level Since 1949

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The nation’s highways are safer than they’ve been in a long time, according to new analysis from the federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Last year, 32,367 people were killed in highway accidents — the fewest since 1949. And there were 2.5 percent fewer fatal crashes involving drunk drivers in 2011 than in the prior year.

The NHTSA called this new data remarkable improvement, but there’s still concern about distracted driving, which was blamed for an increasing number of deaths.

“Even as we celebrate the progress we’ve made in recent years, we must remain focused on addressing the safety issues that are continuing to claim more than 30,000 lives each year,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said.